MARANA, Ariz. – Tiger Woods holed another crucial putt on the 17th hole Saturday, this one sending him into the 36-hole final of the Accenture Match Play Championship for the fourth time in nine tries.

Woods never trailed in a tight match with defending champion Henrik Stenson, who tied him with a 15-foot birdie on the 16th. But the 17th hole has been somewhat of a charm for the world’s No. 1 player, who might not be around if not for a 35-foot eagle putt he made in the first round, or Aaron Baddeley’s eagle putt that just missed to the right on Friday.

After hitting a tough bunker shot to 12 feet, Woods holed the birdie putt for a 1-up lead, and wound up with a 2-up win when Stenson conceded the final hole when he twice came short of the green.

Woods will face Stewart Cink, who this time has a fighting chance.

Cink, who was 7 under on his first nine holes in beating Justin Leonard 4 and 2, last played in the final group with Woods last month. Cink started that round eight shots behind.

This time, they start all square over 36 holes at Dove Mountain.

Woods figures to have an advantage in experience, among other things. Cink has never made it this far in Match Play, while Woods won in 2003 and 2004, and lost in the final match to Darren Clarke in 2000.

Cink’s last victory was the NEC Invitational at Firestone in 2004. Since that time, he is 0-for-85 on the PGA Tour, while Woods has won 22 times in 56 starts.

It will be the sixth All-American final in 10 years of this World Golf Championship.

No played better Saturday than Cink, who until this year at only advanced as far as the quarterfinals one time.

He built an early lead against U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera and pulled away with four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine for a 3-and-2 victory to reach the semifinals against Justin Leonard.

PGA Tour

Brian Gay moved into position for his first PGA Tour victory, shooting an 8-under 62 to take a five-stroke lead over Steve Marino in the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Gay birdied three last three holes and five of the final six to reach 15-under 195.

Marino was 10 under after a 64. Matt Kuchar (64) and Wilson High graduate John Merrick (69) were 9 under, and Mexican star Esteban Toledo (63) was another stroke back.

Between Toledo’s stirring round and Gay’s tremendous close, Roland Thatcher polished off the lowest round of the tournament, a 61 that broke the course record set by Fred Funk en route to winning the inaugural event last year.

Champions Tour

Defending champions Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson won eight skins and a record $270,000 in alternate-shot play in the first nine holes of the Champions Skins Game.

With five skins and $180,000 at stake on the 202-yard ninth hole, Watson hit a 5-iron 15 feet above the hole and Nicklaus made the curling birdie putt.

Nationwide Tour

Australia’s Ewan Porter overcame a minor neck injury to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Moonah Classic.

After injuring his neck during a morning workout and seriously considering pulling out, Porter shot a 1-under 71 to finish three rounds at 7-under 209. Australians Terry Price (70) and Wayne Perske (72) were a stroke back, and American Tee McCabe (69) was 5 under in the event sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian tours.

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